Commerce: Morgan Lucas preview

Winning on Lucas' mind as tour heads to Coca-Cola's backyard
ATLANTA (April 14) -- Morgan Lucas may be the youngest driver competing
in the NHRA's elite 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel ranks but he's hoping to
grow up a little this weekend with a win...

Winning on Lucas' mind as tour heads to Coca-Cola's backyard

ATLANTA (April 14) -- Morgan Lucas may be the youngest driver competing
in the NHRA's elite 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel ranks but he's hoping to
grow up a little this weekend with a win at Atlanta Dragway.

A 10-time national event winner in a Top Alcohol Dragster, the
25-year-old Lucas is still in search of his first victory at the top
level of straight-line racing. Since Atlanta Dragway was the site of
his first low qualifying effort back in 2005, he's hoping the good
vibrations from the Deep South racetrack will carry him to the winner's
circle this time through.

"We have the car to get it done," Lucas said of his GEICO
Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster. "We're so close to turning the corner.
We're literally one good race away from breaking this thing wide open.

"Every weekend is different and every track presents its own challenges
but there's no doubt in my mind that if we make the right decisions we
can win one of these things."

While a win at any of the 24 stops on the Full Throttle tour would be
special, given a choice, Lucas would place Atlanta Dragway near the top
of his wish list.

"We feel a real connection to the Coca-Cola Company," Lucas said. "Full
Throttle is one of their brands and Full Throttle is the title holder of
our series so it's important to us and our sport. Being that Coca-Cola
is based in Atlanta, this is their home track. They always bring out
a bunch of the top executives and I just think it would be awesome to
win in front of them and be able to thank them all personally for their
support.

"Our family business sponsors the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and I
know first-hand how excited racers get when they win a race that Mom and
Dad are at or one where Lucas Oil is the title sponsor. It's the same
deal with at the professional level between the racers and Coca-Cola. We
all kind of put our best foot forward for them."

Lucas enters the weekend a solid sixth in the championship points. He'll
lean on his four years of experience racing at Atlanta Dragway to post
his desired results.

"Atlanta is a great track but it's one you have to respect," Lucas said.
"For some reason it pulls you to the center line there, especially in
the right-hand lane, and if you're not ready for that to happen it will
get your attention in a hurry. It's real smooth, though, and we always
like that. It should be fast this weekend.

"The fans there are great. They love their racing and even though it's
considered to be NASCAR country around there, I'd say they like their
drag racing every bit as much. It's always a very fun atmosphere.
Hopefully, we can join the party with a big win."